Symptoms such as vaginal itching, burning, pain and discharge are some of the most common reasons that women seek medical care. Often, the problem is vaginitis, an inflammation of the vagina. In women of childbearing age, the most common cause is a bacterial infection. The main symptom is a smelly vaginal discharge, but some women have no symptoms. The treatment is antibiotics.
Other infections that can cause vaginitis include trichomoniasis and yeast infections. Some other causes of vaginal symptoms include sexually transmitted diseases, vaginal cancer and vulvar cancer.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-
JAMA Patient Page: Vaginal Symptoms(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/291/11/1406.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/291/11/1406/DC1/1
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Colposcopy(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/082.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/082.printerview.html
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Colposcopy
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/colposcopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/colposcopyspanish/htm/index.htm - Genital Problems in Women(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/537.printerview.html
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Vaginal Discharge: Changes That May Be Signs of a Problem(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/vaginal/194.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/women/reproductive/vaginal/194.printerview.html
- Vaginal pH: Home-Use Tests(Center for Devices and Radiological Health) - http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/oivd/homeuse-vaginal.html
- Abnormal Pap Test Results(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZCUC0887C&sub_cat=9
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Goldenseal
(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/goldenseal/
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Bacterial Vaginosis(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/std/BV/STDFact-Bacterial-Vaginosis.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/std/Spanish/STDFact-Bacterial-Vaginosis-s.htm
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Bacterial Vaginosis(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/bacterialVaginosis/
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Bartholin's Gland Cyst(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/235.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/women/reproductive/gynecologic/235.printerview.html
- Obstetric Fistula: A Devastating Injury(United States Agency for International Development) - http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_health/mch/mh/techareas/fistula.html
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Vaginal Anomalies: Vaginal Agenesis(American Urological Association) - http://urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=06&topic=150
Also available in Spanish http://urologyhealth.org/espanol/espanol.cfm?topic=150
- Vaginal Atrophy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/vaginal-atrophy/DS00770/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Vaginal Bleeding(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/vaginal-bleeding/MY00209/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Vaginal Dryness(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/vaginal-dryness/DS00550/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
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Vaginal Yeast Infection(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/vaginalYeast/
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Vaginitis(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/healthscience/healthtopics/vaginitis/
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Douching(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://womenshealth.gov/faq/douching.htm
Also available in Spanish http://womenshealth.gov/espanol/preguntas/douche.htm
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Dyspareunia: Painful Sex for Women(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/sex-dys/669.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/women/reproductive/sex-dys/669.printerview.html
- Sexual Health: Genital Itching(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/sexually_transmitted_disease_std/hic_sexual_health_genital_itching.aspx
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Colposcopy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/colposcopy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/colposcopyspanish/htm/index.htm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Vaginal Diseases(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Vaginal+Diseases%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Vaginitis(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Vaginitis%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Vaginosis, Bacterial(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Vaginosis,+Bacterial%22
- Factors Related to Bacterial Vaginosis That Persists or Occurs Again after Treatment in Women Who Have Sex with Women(American College of Physicians) - http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/149/1/I-30
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: The Women's Health II Medical Education Network _Part 1: Understanding... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18667133&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Cutting edge: the vaginal microflora and bacterial vaginosis. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18669158&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Bacterial vaginosis and HIV acquisition: a meta-analysis of published studies. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18614873&tool=MedlinePlus
- Vaginal Diseases -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=vaginal+diseases[majr]+NOT+vaginal+neoplasms[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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Gynecological Health: Glossary(University of Utah, Health Sciences Center) - http://healthcare.utah.edu/healthinfo/adult/gynonc/glossary.htm
Also available in Spanish http://healthcare.utah.edu/healthinfo/spanish/gyneonc/glossary.htm
- ACOG's Physician Directory(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - http://www.acog.org/member-lookup/disclaimer.cfm
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists - http://www.acog.org/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
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National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
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Vaginal Anomalies: Cloacal Anomalies(American Urological Association) - http://www.urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=06&topic=148
Also available in Spanish http://urologyhealth.org/espanol/espanol.cfm?topic=148
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Vaginal Anomalies: Congenital Vaginal Obstruction(American Urological Association) - http://urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=06&topic=149
Also available in Spanish http://urologyhealth.org/espanol/espanol.cfm?topic=149
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Vaginal Anomalies: Fusion and Duplication(American Urological Association) - http://urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=06&topic=151
Also available in Spanish http://urologyhealth.org/espanol/espanol.cfm?topic=151
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Vaginal Anomalies: Urogenital Sinus(American Urological Association) - http://www.urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=06&topic=152
Also available in Spanish http://urologyhealth.org/espanol/espanol.cfm?topic=152
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Are Changes in My Vaginal Discharge OK?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/vdischarge2.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/sexual/vdischarge2_esp.html
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Breast and Pelvic Exams(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/obgyn.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/sexual/obgyn_esp.html
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Feeling Fresh(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/feminine_hygiene.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/cuerpo/feminine_hygiene_esp.html
- I've Never Had My Period, So What Is This Discharge?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/vdischarge.html
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/sexuallytransmitteddiseases.html
- Vaginal Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vaginalcancer.html
- Vulvar Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vulvarcancer.html
- Vulvar Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vulvardisorders.html
- Yeast Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/yeastinfections.html
- Female Reproductive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/femalereproductivesystem.html
- Women - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/women.html
Vaginal Diseases - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/vaginaldiseases.html